The KLF v James Corden – million burning duo in legal wrangle to block doc

Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty more interested in future projects than past history

The KLF have spent the past year battling with James Corden’s production company to block a documentary about the notorious duo’s history, it has been revealed.

The Guardian reports that the duo’s publishers Warner Chappell are arguing that the makers of ‘Who Killed the KLF?’ do not have a licence to use KLF’s songs, pointing out that the band’s early career was typified by wholesale sampling of big mainstream acts such as ABBA, Fleetwood Mac and Elvis Presley.

But the film’s director Chris Atkins and James Corden’s production company Fulwell 73  argue that no licence was required because of a legal provision that allows for use of the work without permission for the purposes of criticism. The scenes in which the music is used apparently feature Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty critiquing their former work.

Atkins remains defiant, arguing that the film is a great advert for the duo’s rich legacy, which includes burning a million pounds and saying farewell to the music industry at the Brits with a version of their ‘3AM Eternal’ hit performed with thrash metal band Extreme Noise Terror. Cauty has publicly slammed the movie, saying the duo were more interested in current projects – which include plans for a huge pyramid made of bricks containing the ashes of fans in Toxteth, Liverpool – than raking over the past.